The Ozark Police Department attained accreditation status from the Missouri Police Chief's Charitable Foundation for a second consecutive year.
Accreditation Manager Glenn Eidman of the MPCCF presented the Ozark Police Department's accreditation status to the Ozark Board of Aldermen on Sept. 20. The Ozark police are one of 65 departments in Missouri to gain accreditation status from the MPCCF. Most of the accredited law enforcement groups are in the Kansas City or St. Louis metropolitan areas.
The MPCCF Accreditation process takes more than a year. It certifies that a law enforcement agency is policing its community in a a manner consistent with 208 accreditation standards which have been identified as industry best practices. These standards include a thorough review of the Ozark Police Departments' policies and procedures, as well as a on-site inspection of the police department by an assessment team.
This MPCCF's process looks extensively at all aspects of a police department, its involvement in the community it serves, record and evidence keeping, fiscal responsibility and interviews with officers and supervisors. During these evaluations, the assessor "found the police department and staff were exceptional.” During interviews with officers, the assessors noted they “observed a sincere sense of pride and confidence in the organization."
Ozark Mayor Bradley Jackson applauded the work of Police Chief Justin Arnold and his team in attaining accredited status.
"Congratulations to you, Chief, for making sure that everything was done and done well in your entire department. We appreciate your efforts to help keep Ozark safe," Jackson said.
The Ozark Police Department must apply for re-accreditation and submit to a review process every three years in order to to maintain the accredited status. The police department will be up for review again in August of 2023.
